Ben Wallace is a former professional basketball player. Ben Wallace is currently employed with the NBA’s Detroit Pistons as a team management advisor. He briefly played in the Italian Basketball League for Reggio Calabria before entering the NBA.
Ben formerly played college basketball for two separate university teams, Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union Panthers.
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Early Years & Family
Ben Wallace was born on September 10, 1974, in White Hall, Alabama, United States.
He was born into a large family of twelve people, which included his mother, Sadie Wallace.
His mother and older brother, Sam Doss Jr., died before he was born.
Wallace was born and raised at White Hall, where he never saw his father, and his mother, Sadie, took care of him.
Unfortunately, her earnings were insufficient to sustain the huge family, so his older siblings worked on farms as well.
Ben was the youngest of eight brothers and the tenth of eleven children, so he didn’t have to deal with the same difficulties as his older siblings.
But, like his brothers, he grew up in poverty and had to accompany them to pecan fields in the area.
Sadie Wallace wanted her sons to grow up to be educated men, so she enrolled them in school despite her inability to pay their tuition.
She also constantly encouraged them to pursue their dreams and work hard to attain them.
Ben was well aware of his family’s predicament, so he did everything he could to assist his mother.
Wallace had a well-maintained body and great physique, possibly as a result of his hard work, and he had a strong desire to participate in sports.
Wallace started playing games when he was a tiny child.
He preferred basketball, baseball, and football over all other sports when he was with his friends and brothers.
When he was younger and shorter, his teammates never passed the ball to him, so he had to rely on steals.
He recalls those games fondly and believes they honed his defensive talents and aided him greatly later in the NBA.
Net Worth and Earnings
Ben Wallace has a net worth of around $50 million, according to various websites
. Ben is currently employed as an advisor for the Detroit Pistons, a position for which he is handsomely compensated.
During his childhood, though, the White Hall native made the majority of his money by playing NBA league games.
In 1996, Ben debuted in the NBA as a small forward for the Washington Wizards.
The Wizards paid him roughly $248k in his debut season.
However, his income continued to rise over time. However, it wasn’t until he joined the Orlando Magic that he earned a million dollars.
Wallace signed with the Detroit Pistons in 2000, and the team offered him a four-year contract for $4 million.
Wallace blossomed as a player and became a household name while with the Pistons.
As a result, his income climbed by an incredible amount.
He stayed with the Detroit Pistons for five more seasons, earning over $23 million in the process.
He also made $45 million while playing for the Chicago Bulls and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
During his NBA career, Ben amassed a net worth of $88 million.
Aside from basketball, Ben has ventured into other enterprises, including Green Door Distilling Company and Undrafted, a cannabis brand that sells a variety of cannabis products, merchandise, and strains.
In 2018, he also controlled the NBA G League’s Grand Rapids Drive, but he parted ways with them after another NBA team, the Denver Nuggets, purchased the Grand Rapids.
Facts of Ben Wallace
Full Name | Ben Camey Wallace |
Known As | Ben Wallace |
Date of Birth | September 10, 1974 |
Birth Place | White Hall, Alabama, the USA |
Nick Name | Big Ben |
Religion | Christianity |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | African-American |
Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
Age | 47 years old |
Height | 2.06 m (6 feet 9 inches) |
Weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
Hair Color | Black |
Eye Color | Black |
Build | Athletic |
Father’s Name | Not known |
Mother’s Name | Sadie Wallace (Death:2003) |
Siblings | Ten |
Education |
|
Marital Status | Married |
Sexual Orientation | Straight |
Wife’s Name | Chanda Wallace |
Kids | Three (Ben Jr., Bryce, and Bailey) |
Salary | Not available |
Former Profession | Basketball player |
NBA Draft | 1996 / Undrafted |
Position | Power forward / Center |
League | National Basketball Association (NBA) |
Active Years | (1996 – 2012) |
Net Worth | $50 million |
Currently Plays for | None / Retired |
Jersey Numbers | 4, 30, 3, 6 |
Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
Merch | NBA Trading Card |
Last Update | June 2022 |
High School Basketball Career
Ben attended Central High School in Hainesville, Alabama, where he played basketball.
Wallace was a standout in other sports as well, earning all-state honors in baseball, football, and basketball.
When he joined his high school team, he was already an accomplished rebounder, and he quickly established himself as a vital member of the squad in every competition.
During his high school years, Ben met former NBA player Charles Oakley, who became his mentor throughout his career.
Career in College
Ben was a member of two distinct collegiate basketball teams, the Cuyahoga Community College squad, and the Victoria Union Panthers.
He spent two seasons with Cuyahoga in Cleveland when he demonstrated his ability to everyone.
Wallace had a season when he averaged 17.0 rebounds and 6.9 blocks per game, which drew national notice.
Ben, on the other hand, believed he wouldn’t be able to make it to the NBA from where he was, so he explored moving to another premier basketball team.
Thanks to Chris Oakley’s recommendation, he was accepted as a junior by the Victoria Union Panthers.
Ben improved his performance with the Panthers in his last two collegiate seasons, earning distinctions such as First-Team All-CIAA.
He ended his senior season with an average of 13.4 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.
A Professional Life
Ben entered the NBA draft after graduating from college in 1996, however, he was not selected by any of the league’s teams.
As a result, he fled the nation and began playing basketball with the Viola Reggio Calabria in the Italian Basketball League.
In the same year, he was offered a spot on the Washington Wizards (formerly Washington Bullets) in the NBA, thus he returned to the United States.
However, because he had relatively limited playing time during his first season, his performance was forgettable.
Ben appeared in 34 games over the season, averaging 1.1 points and 1.7 rebounds per contest.
He stayed with the Wizards for two more seasons before being moved to the Orlando Magic in 1999.
Wallace’s performance as a member of the Detroit Pistons in the 2001-02 season astounded everyone.
Even though he didn’t score much, he had a lot of rebounds and blocks per game.
He averaged 13.0 rebounds per game in his first season with the Pistons. He stayed with the Pistons for the following five seasons, winning numerous trophies and accolades.
During his time with the Pistons, he was nominated for practically every defensive player and team award in the NBA.
In addition, in 2004, he earned the NBA championship ring with the Pistons, which was his most significant achievement.
He also went on to play for two other teams before returning to the Pistons in 2009. Despite his declining effectiveness in later years, he was still a strong rebounder.
In 2012, Ben announced his retirement from the game.
Wife & Kids
Ben Wallace is married to Chanda Wallace, a stunning woman.
There is no information regarding their dating years, but Wallace married her in 2001 and the two had been together for more than two decades.
Chanda’s birth date and past whereabouts are also unknown. Similarly, little is known about her educational background, however, she attended Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.
The couple is currently blessed with three children. Ben Jr. and Bryce are their two sons, while Bailey is their daughter. Ben spends the majority of his time in Richmond, Virginia, with his family.
All of his children are now adults, and both of his sons are almost as tall as he is. Everyone in his family is active on Instagram, and they are well-liked by Ben’s admirers.
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Is he Facing Legal Issues?
Wallace has had a few run-ins with the law over his life.
He was detained for the first time in 2011 after Detroit police discovered him driving while inebriated.
When they discovered he had a gun, the situation grew even more direr.
He then revealed that he had carried a gun registered in his wife’s name and that he had made a serious mistake.
Ben explained that he had carried it with him to Michigan to defend himself.
He pleaded guilty to the allegations against him and was sentenced to one year of community service and probation by the court.
Henrico County police detained him again in 2014 after he crashed his vehicle into a wooden fence and fled the scene.
He had been sentenced to a year in prison by the court, but after spending two days, he was released on bail.
Height, Weight, and Age
Ben Wallace is a 47-year-old businessman.
He measures 2.06 meters (6’9′′) tall and weighs approximately 240 kilograms (109 kg).
He’s also got a couple of tattoos on his arms.